Crime prevention works. This simple fact is often forgotten in the ongoing debate over crime and its causes. Prevention works when individuals take common-sense actions to protect themselves, their families and property. The theme from Crime Prevention Month 1995 goes back to these basics: good home security, self-protection skills for kids and…

Community policing and Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) are evolving initiatives that can respond to changing social problems and demands. However, many of the challenges faced by both programs arise out of the fundamentals of human nature. Among the greatest barriers to overcome are: (1) the resistance to change that affects law…

Public information campaigns have become a staple of contemporary crime prevention efforts. While formal research on such campaigns has been limited, some important lessons may be learned from evaluation of the national "Take a Bite Out of Crime" or "McGruff" crime prevention campaign initiated in 1979. A large-scale formal…

This report comprises papers that discuss how grassroots organizations, police involvement, and partnerships with local government and boards of education can prevent youth from criminal involvement through participation in productive and enjoyable work and activities. The following articles are included: (1) "Police Officers Can 'Prevent'…

The purpose of this document is to perform a comprehensive examination of the controversies and contradictions surrounding the issue of crime and the elderly, based on analysis of National Crime Survey data for 1973-1980. Chapter 1 introduces the study of crime and the elderly, describing the controversy that exists regarding the elderly and their…

Programs that attempt to keep children from turning to crime are described following an introduction by Senator Joseph Biden that considers the scope of the problem of juvenile crime and possible solutions to the problems of youth violence. Catalogued are 192 ways in which communities are reaching out to children. The programs listed vary in size,…

How community-based groups are confronting and preventing alcohol and other drug problems and related crime in their communities is the focus of this publication. A wide range of approaches and strategies, used by 10 nonprofit, community-based organizations representative of urban and rural areas, are presented. Case studies describe two community…